LINCOLN— Departed State Senator Ernie Chambers might have left a gift behind for fellow state senators this year: a shorter session. Talk is swirling in the State Capitol that the Nebraska Legislature might wrap up its business early and adjourn the 2009 session three days sooner than anticipated.

That would mean sine die Friday, May 29, instead of the scheduled end of the 90-day session Thursday, June 4. Read more.

— Omaha World-Herald, May 14, 2009

 

LINCOLN—After five hours of intense debate, state senators gave overwhelming 37-5 first-round approval Thursday to this year’s anti-abortion bill, a measure that will require abortion clinics to offer women a chance to see ultrasounds before having abortions.

The debate provided a clear distinction between the pro-life majority, which would like to end the availability of abortion, and the minority, which would like to reduce the need for abortion by reducing the number of unintended pregnancies. Read more.

— Lincoln Journal Star, May 14, 2009

WASHINGTON—Senate leaders are considering new federal taxes on soda and other sugary drinks to help pay for an overhaul of the nation's health care system. The taxes would pay for only a fraction of the cost to expand health insurance coverage to all Americans and would face strong opposition from the beverage industry. They also could spark a backlash from consumers who would have to pay several cents more for a soft drink. Read more.

— Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2009

 

In an ad in the newspaper Politico, more than 20 national organizations joined with the AHA in urging the president and Congress to work to eliminate the health disparities gap for racial and ethnic minorities as part of comprehensive health reform. “The upcoming national debate on health care offers a unique opportunity to correct deep and long-standing inequities in care,” the ad states.

The group calls on the administration and Congress to create incentives for health care providers that serve significant minority populations, and support efforts to improve the quality and timeliness of care; develop and expand the health care workforce of doctors, nurses and other caregivers in minority and underserved communities; improve coverage and access to care for all patients, and invest in training and services to help health care providers deliver culturally competent care.

The recommended actions grew out of the AHA Special Advisory Group on Improving Hospital Care for Minorities. For more information, visit www.aha.org/disparities.

— AHA News Now, May 14, 2009

 

WASHINGTON—Hospitals and insurance companies said that President Obama had substantially overstated their promise to reduce the growth of health spending. Obama invited health industry leaders to the White House to trumpet their cost-control commitments. But three days later, confusion swirled as the companies' trade associations raced to tamp down angst among members around the country.

After meeting with six major health care organizations Obama hailed their cost-cutting promise as historic, but health care leaders who attended the meeting, including American Hospital Association President Richard J. Umbdenstock, have a different interpretation. They say they agreed to slow health spending in a more gradual way and did not pledge specific year-by-year cuts. Read more.

— New York Times, May 14, 2009

 

WASHINGTON—U.S. House Democrats are weighing an expansion of the government's role in health care that would include a mandate that employers provide coverage to all full-time workers or pay a percentage of their payroll to the Treasury. Also being considered is a new government-run program to provide health coverage to some of the estimated 46 million uninsured Americans. This "public option" competing with private insurers would likely be run by the Department of Health and Human Services. Read more.

— Bloomberg/Yahoo News, May 15, 2009